Report on How Crabs Did During Winter Months Out Today

RIVA, Md. (AP) - Crabs in the Chesapeake Bay had an easier winter this year than last when cold killed off nearly a third of them.

But while the winter was warmer, it followed two major fall storms that dumped tons of trash, mud and sediments into the bay.

Answers to how the weather has treated the bay's biggest money maker are expected to be released Thursday at a crab house in Riva, where Gov. Martin O'Malley is to make an announcement about the crab fishery.

Bay scientists have said they expect the number of crabs killed this winter to be much lower than last winter. Despite last winter's drop, the Chesapeake crab population is still above lows reached last decade that prompted Maryland and Virginia to imposed harvest restrictions in 2008.